As India prepares to take on England in the first Test at Leeds, all eyes will be on pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah.
The 31-year-old, who is set to experience the rigours of international cricket following a stunning Indian Premier League (IPL) stint for Mumbai Indians (MI) after an injury lay-off, carries not only his favourite weapon in hand but also the fate of an Indian cricket team in transition, without its three heavyweights.
The first Test will kick off at Leeds from June 20, and watching a Team India without Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravichandran Ashwin will no doubt be a sad sight, despite the exciting potential this new-look squad possesses. Bumrah, the 'national treasure' as labelled by Virat, is to be protected at all costs, and the number of Tests he will play remains uncertain, with skipper Shubman Gill and coach Gautam Gambhir choosing to stay tight-lipped about it during the pre-departure press conference.
Unlike in the IPL, Bumrah will not have the privilege of experienced campaigners like Trent Boult and Deepak Chahar by his side. Instead, he will lead a young Indian pace line-up featuring Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Arshdeep Singh, and Akash Deep, who have a combined Test experience of 46 matches—just one more than Bumrah's own count. All-rounders Shardul Thakur or Nitish Kumar Reddy could offer a bit of a breather to the main bowlers.
Bumrah has a stunning record in England against the Three Lions, having taken 37 scalps in just nine matches at an average of 23.78 and a strike rate of 51.9, the best among the top ten Indian bowlers in England. His best bowling figures are 5/64, with two five-wicket hauls. Out of 15 innings, only once has Bumrah gone wicketless against England on their home turf.
During his first tour to England in 2018, he took 14 wickets in three matches at an average of 25.92, with best bowling figures of 5/85, which sealed India a 203-run win at Nottingham.
The next tour, during 2021–22, was one to remember as he topped the bowling charts with 23 scalps in five games at an average of 22.47, with best bowling figures of 5/64. During the last Test at Edgbaston in 2022, which was rescheduled due to COVID-19, he also made his captaincy debut, though in a losing effort.
Overall, against England both home and away, Bumrah has taken 60 wickets in 14 matches at an average of 22.16, with best bowling figures of 6/45.
Bumrah is arriving on English shores with supreme confidence and statistics behind him. He had an all-timer series in Australia, taking 32 wickets across five matches at an average of 13.06, with three five-wicket hauls and two four-wicket hauls. His lone-warrior effort in Australia alone is enough to make him Hall of Fame-worthy, but another brilliant outing in England could elevate his legacy as a fast bowler several notches higher.
The pacer is more than just his statistics, with his ability to generate masterful swing and toe-crushing yorkers, create pressure and fear in opponents, deliver clutch bowling spells, and carry the entire nation's expectations on his back with a calm smile on his face, making him a valuable addition to the Indian squad.
Another five-wicket haul would take him to 10 fifers in South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia (SENA) nations, making him the first Indian bowler to achieve the feat. Additionally, five more wickets would help him reach 150 wickets in SENA countries, another first for an Indian.
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